Our Own Path
by wolfpawn
Summary: Loki and Thor's younger sister is seen by men as a way to increase their standing and her dowry nothing more than a prize. Loki notes this and pays closer attention to his sister, who chooses to leave Asgard for a time, when she returns, she is not as she was.


When asked, the citizens of Asgard would have to pause for a moment to recall the name of the third child of their King and Allfather. Cara, the youngest child and only daughter of the Aesir royal family, quiet and female, meaning she seldom came to the attention of many. She stood beside her mother at royal events, sat beside her older brother Loki and rarely said anything. The kingdom had been elated at the birth of a son and heir, a second guaranteed a strong line, a daughter…...well, maybe there was an agreement that would be reached to prevent a war where she would come in handy, that had been most people's logic.

If Thor was right and Loki was left, Cara was the centre. She tended to be the best behaved and most mannered of the three siblings. She was highly educated on almost every topic and well-read in many genres of literature. Like Loki, she had a knack for seidr, but unlike her older brother, she never seemed interested in doing anything mischievous with it. She was trained in self-defence, her preferred weapon was the bow and arrow, she had impeccable aim and would spend hours aiming at targets, both sedentary and ones she had magicked into moving to improve her aim. Her skills in such, both her brothers used to help them with their own stealth and agility, on more than one occasion, both brothers returned from training with blue powder all over them from the powdered padded arrows she used on them.

She spoke with a few women, of course, one or two lord's daughters, she found, were agreeable company. Many attempted to use her as a way to get closer to Thor and Loki, but being as swift of mind as the rest of her family, she realised quickly what they were after and they found themselves not capable of getting anywhere near them.

Cara was never overly popular with young men, they did not seem too interested in a girl that was better educated than them and did not take interest in things such as drinking or parties. She only was asked to dance on occasion out of politeness but boys never seemed too interested in her.

On her birthday when she came of age, however, that seemed to change, or at least, as far as her brothers realised. She did not want the celebration, she hated too much attention and was not overly fond of the idea, but as it also meant that she was eligible for suitors, as her brothers had been, so it was marked accordingly. She had to dance with them, and her father, which she often had to do at events, but afterwards, she would immediately scarper to the head table again and sit with her mother, who would try and encourage her to go dance with young men, something she would try and avoid, or beside her brothers, as they would, on occasion, regale her with stories from their times with their friends. But on this occasion she noticed her feet physically ached from the time she was spending dancing with different men, all of whom showed no interest in her before and now seemed very interested in her, more than one saying or touching her in a manner that made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

After that, she noted it happened more often, making her feel unimpressed and insulted, especially when she figured out why they were doing it.

It was when a man as old as Thor came to Odin one day asking to court Cara that Loki noticed something. The man was of good standing but Loki had never even seen him show any interest in Cara before. He listened silently as the man spoke to his father, making mention of different matters, none of which Cara enjoyed, meaning there was little to interest her in such a man. He watched as his father stated that Cara was her own being, she would not be swayed by her father or any other man, he would have to try his luck with her himself, but that should he wish for consent to try, he had it. Deciding to watch out for his younger sister, Loki decided to pay more attention to such things. In one afternoon three men, whose actions he knew to be not out of any interest for Cara, insisted she join them for some activity, what he also noticed was that on almost every occasion he witnessed, she was either uninterested or openly against the men's actions. On only two occasions did she seem interested in the men, but he watched the men after their acquiring her consent, he realised that one had a consort that he adored, citing that he had to see if he could gain favour and wealth through Cara and the other was only interested in what he could receive from Cara in bed, commenting to his friends that she would be an agreeable bed partner. Loki saw those two occasions as worse than any other man that tried for her attention. He went to Thor and relayed his findings, both men rescinded their claims of interest soon after, both somewhat wincing as they moved and easily startled for a considerable time afterwards.

Loki, and indeed Thor, watched with interest as men tried for their sister's hand, but none got very far. Through his magic, Loki heard them admit she was either too strong-minded to be controlled or too strong-willed for many. He took that as an insult for she had similar interests to himself in many ways, and the ones she did not share with him were the ones that many commended Thor for being so capable of. After a time, the interest in Cara seemed to decrease. She requested she be allowed to go to Alfheim for a period to improve her magic.

Thor was to be wed some ten years after she left, he was often seen laughing happily with his bride-to-be, a beautiful woman from Vanaheim, daughter of the highest general, a woman who loved the talk of battle and was no mere shrinking violet, the palace rejoiced and the wedding was well received. Loki had his fair share of maidens vying for his attention as the last available male heir to guarantee them their title of "Princess". He found that, though many were vapid and self-serving, there were those that were very much to his liking also, so he had found himself looking for a partner very happily.

Cara returned from Alfheim just before the wedding, she said nothing to her family on her return and merely turned up to breakfast the morning of it to find none of them seemed to eat breakfast together anymore. She said nothing to the worried looking staff and went back to her rooms. The first her family knew she was even there was when Sif, Thor's fiance, mentioned a fair-haired woman donning blue clothes and had a blue fox by her side walking along the royal wing with two maids behind her at lunch the day before the wedding. The royal family stared at her for a moment in silence before Odin had a servant called, who confirmed that indeed, Cara had returned home, the day before.

When she entered the room, called there by her father's request, the rest of her family stared in shock. The bright and cheerful girl was gone and in her place was a stoic and stone-faced woman, her fox, a gift from her parents on her coming of age name day, sitting beside her.

'You could have told someone of your return,' Frigga stated, hurt by her daughter's lack of announcement.

'I came to breakfast yesterday, no one was here.' She shrugged. 'I am not familiar with the current house schedule so I thought it wise to stay out of the way, considering the work going on at present. Congratulations.' She gave a short bow and turned to leave.

'Sit down.' Odin ordered. 'We hear nothing of you in close to a decade bar that you are alive and you think to not join us on your return.'

She did as instructed, sitting nearest Loki, who noticed her once radiant skin that seemed to glow was now pale. He studied her features, he wondered when was the last time she smiled. He was about to speak to her when he felt something rubbing against his leg, looking under the table, he realised it was the fox.

'Sorry.' She called the fox back.

'She's fine.' Loki prayed it was a she, he was fairly certain of it, but Cara didn't even look at him. 'How was Alfheim?'

'Fine.'

'Norns, is it my funeral you've come back for? Frigga, you could have told me I was dead.' Odin growled.

No one said anymore for a while before Odin, frustrated at the silence began a conversation on the wedding once more. After finishing their meals, Cara used the conversation's focus on others to allow her to slip out of the room quietly.

'Your seidr is far better now.' She turned to see Loki standing not far from her in a quiet hallway, the Einherjar that manned it not paying any heed to either royal.

'I had plenty of time to practice.' she stated politely before bowing slightly.

'What happened?' she looked at Loki showing her confusion. 'What happened to you, you used to be happy and cheerful, when was the last time you smiled?'

'You are not renowned for smiling.'

'I am known to be a scowling git, what is your excuse?'

'I was not aware the position was filled, I better find myself another one.' she stated, using her seidr to leave without Loki knowing where she went.

Cara was not seen of again until the wedding the next day, she stood silently next to her mother as Thor, with Loki by his side, waiting for his wife-to-be at the top of the throne room. They watched the ceremony silently and most everyone cheered at Odin's declaration that it was official. Cara stood still, her face more polite and approachable through the ceremony and clapped very calmly. Something her parents and Loki noticed.

'What the blazes is wrong with her, if she wants to go back to Alfheim so badly she can survive a week?' Odin growled as he looked at his daughter sit at the far end of the table, looking silently at her food. 'What did her Master say?'

'Nothing of note, she studies, she sleeps, she eats.' Frigga explained, having written to her daughter's teacher, known as a Master.

'Any suitors?'

'No interest.'

'Oh for Norn's sake, is this some sort of rebellion by her, I don't recall any issue with her before.' He tried to skim through his memory to when their daughter was resident there, nothing came to mind.

'She was quiet and well behaved.' Frigga informed him.

'Perhaps if I used my training partners and adversaries to create craters or turned those who annoy me into animals you would have noticed.' Cara stated coldly as she sat down having found herself hearing her family discuss her. 'Or, you know, if I had been born male, that might have worked too.' Her mother and brother looked at her in shock, watching as she coldly looked Odin in the eye as she spoke, her face void of any form of emotion.

'What has caused this...dislike you now hold for me, I am curious? I have not forced you to marry, I gave you the same liberties as your brothers to seek a partner, yet it is clear the most of your anger is focused on me.' Odin sat back in his chair and looked at her studiously.

'You told them you could not force me to accept them, that you gave your blessing to try but you could not force me, I thank you for that much, I have seen more women than forced into marriages, but you never once vetted them, did you? I had old men, scoundrels and miscreants manhandle and fondle me, even in front of you and you said nothing.' She hissed. Cara rose to her feet, 'I suppose it is better from me than from any other, I am surrendered my house name and titles.' She declared.

Her parents look at her in shock. 'What?'

'I surrendered them.'

'Why?' Her mother asked in confusion. 'Your brother is wed, Loki will be soon also, you will not be required to…' Frigga looked at her husband, shocked by the look on his face. 'Odin?'

'No, they are all gone.' Odin stated.

'They were, but others have decided to take their place, myself included. You cannot stop it,' Cara smirked, 'You know you can't.'

'You are royal by birth.'

'So? It doesn't matter there, I am no one.'

'Where?' Loki asked curiously.

'Nowhere you need concern yourself with.' Odin growled. 'Your sister…' Cara's face went into a sneer as she tore the sleeve on her right arm and pulled it up to reveal branding on her skin.

'The Valkyrie.' Loki stared at the mark before looking his sister in the eye again. 'You are a…'

'You cannot be one, you can only be one after…'

'I gave it up nine and a half years ago.' Cara declared. 'I do not want to be a precious princess in need of a husband, every man outside my blood I have ever met has never wanted me for anything other than his own gain, as what I am now, I am what I want to be, and like Niflheim are you or any other going to stop me, you know the law, a Valkyrie only ceases to be so on her death.'

'You would die rather than do your duty?'

'I will die for a cause I see fit, is that not the point of princesses, to be used as required to secure a realm, I am doing so in the truest manner.'

'But….Gregor, your Master….' Frigga seemed hurt that the man that trained her had lied to her of her daughter's actions.

'Gregor is the one who told me my future was not as some precious princess, that I was meant for more. He told me there was nothing he could do for me, he sent me out into the realms, there I met women like me, not feeling as though we were going the road that was for us. We protected one another, when I realised I was not the only one that was trained, we trained together, when we realised what was right, we did it. How could any of you be shocked that I did this?' She saw the looks on her parents' faces, her father's filled with anger, her mother's of disappointment, and shook her head and rose to her feet. 'I am not wanted here and I do not want to be here. Tell Thor he has my congratulations, I give his wife what was once mine by way of jewels and him I give my shielding cloak, it will serve him well. Loki…' She looked to her other brother with a grin, 'My land, titles and possessions are yours, it's not much but makes yours seem less paultry. Thank you for your letters, I appreciated them.'

'I can still write?'

'You better.' She bowed slightly. 'Your Majesties, Your Highness.' She used her magic to change from the feminine dress into her Valkyrie armour before she turned and left, earning stares from everyone in the room.

She was in the courtyard of the palace, her fox beside her when Loki caught up to her. 'You really are…?' He looked her up and down.

'Whatever you want to say, just spit it out.' She growled.

'That...wow.' He grinned. 'Incredible.' She frowned and looked at him suspiciously. 'I mean in Cara.'

'I never thanked you.' it was his turn to frown. 'I know what you did when everyone was trying to use me. Thank you.'

'I had never realised…'

'No, no one ever did.' She said sadly. 'I never really mattered here.'

'Yes, you did…'

'Loki, be honest, you only took an interest because of feeling insulted they thought they could trick you.' She scoffed before giving her first smile.

'Are you allowed smile?'

She laughed. 'Yes, of course. We also tend to drink a lot too.'

'Now I'm jealous.' She laughed again. 'You really are happy?'

'I am.' She nodded, smiling genuinely.

Loki came forward and hugged her. 'Is it wrong if I say I hope we do not meet too soon?'

'I will take it you mean that on a business level?'

'Of course.'

'Then I won't take offence.' She smiled before she noticed someone in the shadows. 'I am sorry to leave, but considering you are busy with your guests, I thought you would not notice.'

'You thought I would not notice my younger sister storming out of my wedding donning the garb of the Valkyrie?' Thor scoffed. 'Why are you wearing that?'

'I am one.'

'But they all died in battle, defending Asgard.'

'That lot did, there are more now.'

'And you are one of them?' Cara nodded. 'Is that why you never came home, why you are so different?'

'I thought I had to hide it so not to cause a ruckus at your wedding.'

'Well, that went splendidly, well done.' Loki gave two thumbs up.

'So Father took it well I assume?'

'I made him so angry he may actually declare war just to spite me and I think I broke Mother's heart,' She recapped. 'I'm sorry Thor, I didn't want this to happen.'

'We all are different, though not too different, I wanted to be a Valkyrie as a boy, but then I realised I couldn't be since I was….well, a boy. I'm somewhat envious.' he looked at her for a moment before his grin grew. 'I cannot believe my little sister is a Valkyrie, that is awesome, do you actually have Pegasus, what do you train, where are you based?'

'Yes, everything and Alfheim.' she chuckled, unsure at how in the space of a few minutes, she went from feeling utterly ostracized from her birth family to feeling as though she could finally enjoy their presence. 'You know, as future King of Asgard, you are permitted to request our being here when you get your ass on his throne.' She looked up to their father, who was watching them from a balcony above. 'Until then, perhaps we can speak by other means.'

'Can we visit?' Loki asked curiously. 'Officially, of course. As the future King of Asgard…..and his right-hand man?'

'Officially, yes.'

'Well then, until then, Sister.' The two brothers bowed.

'I forfeited my name and house, I am not your sister any longer.' She stated, her winged horse coming towards her, its wings no longer hidden by her magic.

'You may no longer have the name Odindottir, but you will always be our sister by blood,' Loki countered.

Cara slid across the sand of the arena on her knees as she used her blunt sword to knock her opponent to the ground, when she stopped and turned, she realised the other Valkyrie were looking to the edge of the arena. She stood tall and threw her sword into the sand vertically so it would remain standing. 'It's only been a year.'

'Have you any idea how hard it was to stay away this long?' Loki quipped.

'Your Highnesses.' She bowed in the manner the old Valkyrie were known to have, the other women following suit. 'To what do we owe this honour.'

'Father has stepped down as King.' Thor informed her, startling Cara somewhat, she was convinced Odin would die as King. 'I am going to be crowned this day week, I want the Valkyrie there, as they were always there.'

'The Valkyrie will serve Asgard as we always have.' Cara smiled back. 'And we hope you have a long and good reign, my King.'

'Is it possible for us to look around?' Thor asked curiously.

'Why, the Valkyrie will be readying to return to Asgard, there is no point to them being here when they are required at home.' Loki pointed out.

'True,' Thor conceded. 'But it seems a shame to go home so soon.'

'If you want to be beaten up by women I know some new sparring partners that would enjoy making you suffer. We'll even let you win one.' Cara winked.

The brothers looked at one another for a mere moment before Thor pulled Mjolnir from his belt and Loki readied his seidr. The women gave a cheer as the men were welcomed into the arena.

Cara stood proudly to the front of her fellow Valkyrie as the coronation took place. She smiled as her brother was crowned, his pregnant wife beside him. She would see her niece or nephew grow and protect them with her life, she could be close to her brothers, who she never felt as close to as when she had to renounce her title and no longer acknowledge herself as their sister. She felt there was an odd irony to that, but it did not matter, she was head of the Valkyrie so she was the one to liaise with the king and his closest lords and generals, allowing her be around her brothers a lot more than when she was merely their sister, forging a bond that meant when war did come and the battle raged, she knew them all the better and was more able to protect them.


End file.
